The binding affinities of ten aminoglycosides with RRE IIB RNA have been determined. Neamine was found as the simplest consensus unit of aminoglycoside antibiotics that bind RRE IIB RNA tightly. Various aromatic ring-substituted neamines have been prepared and their binding with RRE IIB RNA was examined. Among them, pyrene-substituted neamine has shown a submicromolar level of binding with the RNA. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.